Blast from the Past
by Karen42
Summary: It's been ten years since Ryan Dallion left Curious Goods and all it's secrets behind. But now, his past is coming back to haunt him.


Blast From The Past  
  
This story takes place ten years after the shows ending episode 'The Charnal Pit'.  
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Ryan Dallion felt completely empty. He stood quietly dressed in black, the traditional black. People, friends of his mother, kept coming up to Ryan offering him their hands or condolences. Ryan may as well been completely alone for all the notice he took of them.  
  
As he watched, the coffin sank slowly into the ground. The priest made his closing remarks and one by one the people trailed away lost in their own thoughts. Ryan alone stayed. The workers arrived and began to fill in the grave and still he watched. He just stood there numb, unaware of anything save the soft thumps of dirt and it hit the casket.  
  
A small hand was placed gently on his shoulder. "Ryan?" Ryan continued to watch the workers, oblivious. The hand gave his shoulder a sympathetic squeeze and tried to call attention to herself. Ryan's brown eyes focused on her as if seeing her for the first time.  
  
They were slightly wild eyes as they darted from one familiar feature to another. Her short blond hair, her impish features, grief filled eyes of green, he took it all in as if memorizing every detail, as if she would disappear if he blinked. he settled on her eyes.  
  
"Kate, mom's dead," he whispered. Ryan's eyes widened in pain. "Oh God, Kate. She's dead. My mom's dead!" he nearly collapsed against Kate's small frame, tears streaming down his face. Kate held onto him. "Come on Ryan, you can't go home tonight. you're coming with me. Let's go" Kate supported him as they walked away from the grave.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
From behind a small stand of trees, three figures stood dressed in black. They watched in silence as Ryan Dallion left the cemetery supported by a young woman. When he was far enough away, they began to speak quietly.  
  
"I don't think I could've stood another moment just standing here, watching him," the red haired woman whispered. her blue eyes filled with concern. "I know exactly what you mean, but we're the last thing he needs right now. Besides he doesn't even remember us.." the older man put a fatherly arm around the woman. The younger man sighed. "And even if he did remember us we could only cause him more grief." "he might remember, if he got all those letters and cards I sent him." The older man sighed, "Micki..." "I know, I know. Mrs. Dallion said no contact of any kind, but I couldn't help it. I missed him." "I miss him too, but Mrs. Dallion was perfectly within her rights when she told us to stay away. And Ryan has enough problems of his own to deal with. There is absolutely no need to re introduce him to ours." "You're right. I know you're right, but still I wish there was something we could do for him." "he smiled bitterly. "There is. WE can leave him alone. he had his time with us, and now it's time for him to get on with his life without us." The three of them walked off quietly together.  
  
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Somewhere in Chicago there is a small shop, 'Curious Goods' by name, which is home to some very curious goods indeed. Instead of selling these 'goods' they buy them, and the cost is often times much more than mere money...  
  
Two days after Mrs. Dallion's funeral it was back to business as usual for this antique shop's keepers. Jack Marshack, the older man, had the manifest out on the counter. "All right troops," Jack said with a forced air of cheerfulness, "The next object is a pendent." "Pendant? What does it do?" Micki asked as she clomped down the old stairway. She expertly navigated through the crowded store instinctively moving to the right or left to avoid the clutter of antiques. "Well, as usual, I don't know. But the fellow who bought it must still have it. There's no record of a death of any sort." Johnny followed her down, yawing. "Maybe he isn't using it. he may have believed it was only some pretty little trinket." "Yeah," Micki agreed, "only this pretty little trinket kills."  
  
Johnny sighed. "So where do we start looking?" "Germany. A small village by the name of Kalbach. Well, not in Kalbach exactly. Just outside of it." "Outside of it?" "An old castle on the outskirts of town. it belongs to one Mr. Victor Wolfe. Hmm.." Micki hated when he did that. Hmm never ment anything good. "Hmm what?" jack removed his battered glasses and leaned forward. "Well it seems that Wolfe isn't his last name. it was Seberger originally. I wonder why he changed it... Never mind about that. I want you and Johnny to book yourself on the next flight to Germany."  
  
"You're not going with us?" Johnny asked. "Much as I'd like to , we can't afford to leave the store unattended again." Last time they went to England in search of a ring, only to come back to find the store had been looted. the criminals had somehow broken into the vault. If the cops hadn't caught them... "They discovered the ten missing antiques later, they were small but still quite deadly. Micki didn't want to think about it. "Sorry Jack." "Oh don't worry about me. I won't be alone or idle. I promised Rasheed a game of chess and I'll see what I can dig up on this pendent. Stay in touch." Jack handed each of them a set of microphones. "And call when you get there."   
  
Micki smiled. "Ok mommy. Let's get going."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
... her blood was splattered all over the wall. "My God!" was all his mind could come up with. "Kathy!" Images shifted. He was no longer in an apartment, he was in a white hall. PAIN through a red haze. He heard himself scream and cry out then nothing. Looking up he saw a man in a red cloud. "No!" he shouted soundlessly. His vision blurred. He looked down to a woman whose brown hair was spread out about her like a chestnut halo. Blood welled up from her heart and spread like a dark stain upon her dress. Then he was holding her, as he watched, her hair grew and changed, as if it had come to life. It became the color of flame and the features shifted. Eyes of blue were widened in fright, with her mouth frozen in a soundless scream. There was no blood on her anywhere, just a small brand the size of a silver dollar on her forehead, but he knew that she was dead.  
"Nooooooooooooooo..."  
  
  
"Ooooooooooooooo!!" Ryan sat straight up, drenched in sweat. The door to his room burst open. "My God, Ryan. Are you okay?!" Ryan placed a hand on his forehead as if to support it. Without knowing why, he lifted his shirt and checked his chest as if he expected to see some kind of mark there. To cover the movement he then lifted the ends of his shirt up to dry his face.  
  
"I'm fine." Kate didn't look convinced. "Really, I'm fine. I just had a nightmare that's all." Kate's green eyes were filled with concern as she sat down on the end of his bed, concerned and unconvinced. "Ryan, you were screaming like some wounded animal before I came in here. That must have been one helluva nightmare." Ryan's voice was still shaky. "Yeah, it was." he swallowed convulsively, "One helluva nightmare." Kate searched his face for something, not finding it she stood up. "Tell me about it."  
  
"It was nothing, really," he protested and wouldn't meet her eyes. "It was mostly images, and it's all fading now. All that's left is the fear." Kate didn't back down. After three days of this she was going to get some answers. "Well, what do you remember?" Ryan sighed. Kate showed no signs of letting this one go. Still, he didn't want to talk about it. "I told you, it was just images." "Images of what?" Ryan became angry and shouted, "DEAD PEOPLE! All right! Dead people!" Then, seeing her shocked and hurt look he said more quietly, "I saw dead people." All the anger drained out of him. It was so unusual for him to blow up at somebody like that, so why did he? Ryan put that thought away for later study.  
  
Kate shuddered. "Did you know them?" "Who?" Ryan asked, distracted. "The dead people." Ryan concentrated. "No, but I knew them before." "Before what?" Ryan shook his head in confusion. "Ryan, before what?" "I don't know." "Then why did you say it?" Ryan began to get angry again, but he forced it down, confusion swept in to replace it. "I don't know."  
  
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"I hate plane trips." Micki stated. Johnny smiled and handed his bags to the porter. "Well here we are in Kalbach. I didn't think it would have an airport." Micki wasn't listening. This place gave her the creeps. 'Bad Vibes'. That's what Ryan would have said.  
  
Micki wondered how he was doing. lately she'd been thinking about all the time they'd spent together. Her thoughts kept straying to the first time she'd met her cousin Ryan. She hadn't even known she'd had a cousin Ryan. He'd come off as rather 'common'. He'd been rude at first, and then he'd changed, or more likely, she had changed. She must have because now whenever she looked back at her ex-fiancee Lloyd, she couldn't help thinking that Ryan was right. Lloyd was s dork.  
  
Johnny came over holding two room keys. "I got us a guide. We can go out and see the castle tomorrow. Hopefully this Victor Wolfe won't be any trouble..." Micki smiled. "Come on Johnny, the last three were easy ones. We've got to start earning our keep sooner or later." "Well if we hadn't gotten robbed last year we could've retired." "Yeah, then you and I cold get jobs on the local burger place." Johnny laughed. "Would you like fries with that? Can you see Jack telling us to stay back because he believed that the onion rings were cursed?" Micki smacked him. "Go to bed. You've obviously been up way too long. I'll see you in the morning."  
  
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"I wish you'd change your mind," Kate protested feebly. These days Ryan was so stubborn and he used to be so reasonable. "I'm leaving." He stated as he tore through his small studio. He sat down on a stool near his drying rack. "Do you know that mom had this room converted in to a studio way before I even thought about being an artist. It was like she knew, you know? I really like this place. too bad I'm leaving." "Why are you leaving?" Kate crossed her arms. Ryan sighed. "This place holds too many memories. I got to get out and..." Ryan had stopped on a picture. Kate waited for him to finish, but he didn't. Getting impatient, she prompted, "Get out and...?" Ryan still didn't answer. "Ryan!" Absently he muttered, "Hmm? What?" "Ryan, are you even listening to me?" Catching the out-to-lunch expression on his face, she sighed.  
  
"Ryan, what is it?" Ryan lied, "Nothing." He quietly removed a painting from the rack and placed it off to the side. He stood up. "Look, I just can't live here anymore. Now are you going to help me get the rest of my things together or what?" Kate rolled her eyes heavenward. "Well?" "Okay, Okay." When did he get so impatient?  
  
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Johnny was nervous. This whole trip reminded him of a horror flick he'd seen once. The guide they had hired smiled as he promised he would be back for them in an hour. Somehow Johnny didn't quite believe him. And now they were standing in front of the castle which reminded him of a film he'd rather not remember. All that was left to complete the mood was one of those sudden storms that always started off any, if not all, good horror flicks.  
  
"I think it's starting to rain," Micki said. She pulled her jacket tighter about her shoulders. "Great." Johnny stepped forward and banged the knocker three times. Micki shivered. "This place gives me the creeps." "Me too."  
  
Johnny glanced up at the castle. Some of it was covered in moss and one of it's towers looked as if it would topple if a good breeze hit it. The gray walls gave off a forboding.... Johnny stopped that train of thought before it took him anywhere. He put it aside with a small mental footnote, "Should I have been a horror writer?" and stood quietly waiting for the door to open.  
  
Big fat rain drops had started to fall around them when the door opened. A disembodied voice said pleasantly, "Won't you please come in?" AS they crossed the threshold Micki whispered, " Come in to my parlor said the spider to the fly."  
  
The entrance hall was decorated warmly, and Johnny began to relax. The owner of the voice turned out to be Karl Heimlen, the butler. his clothing was meticulously clean right down to his bright and shiny shoes. Karl's' face was pinched and sallow, giving it the typical butler look of disdain. Karl led them to the sitting room and asked them if they would like any tea. When they both said no, he informed them that Mr. Wolfe would be along shortly.  
  
They waited in a room that was comfortable if somewhat over decorated. She wondered, "Johnny, how are we going to go about this?" "What? Getting the pendant back? I suppose we'll just say , 'Hi. Would you mind if we rummage around in your jewelry box for awhile?'" "Point taken. WE can't be that blunt. We'll work up to it."  
  
They heard Mr. Wolfe long before they actually saw him. "Goo evening," he said politely and stepped into view. Wolfe was darkly handsome with his black hair and piercing green eyes. He wore a white shirt frilled at the cuffs, and a pair of casual gray trousers. He also wore a full length cape, which he removed upon entering the room.  
  
Johnny may have noticed all of the above if he AHD not first glimpsed the sliver wolf pendant suspended from a leather string at his throat. That was definatly a bad sign. After working at the shop for several years he'd picked up some important tips. Number one on that list was if the person were wearing or keeping the object near him, it usually ment he was using it. And God only knows what the person's using it for.  
  
Apparently Micki was thinking the same thing. She gave Johnny a look as she stood to greet Victor Wolfe. "Hi, I'm Micki Foster and this is Johnny." "Americans? What brings you so far from... home?" His slight emphasis on the word 'home' worried Johnny.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
All afternoon Ryan kept finding the same thing, traces of a red haired woman. A scrap of paper here, a painting, several sketches, a crayon drawing he found stuck on the underside of one of his drawers. he hadn't realized how many drawings he'd done of her, whoever she was. Stick figures with red hair were carefully hidden on a wall out of sight. How could he have possibly drawn all those red hared figures and not remember it? Hmmm, well he had always had an affinity for red heads...  
  
Kate was piling boxes. It would take another day or so to finish packing all Ryan's stuff. Kate tried to lift a box but it was too heavy for her. "Here." She pushed it towards him. Ryan picked up the box and the bottom promptly fell out. It's contents spilled out all over the floor.  
  
Frustrated, Ryan flung the box away from him. "You'd think they could at least build a damn box that was capable of holding things!" "Whoa! Chill out! What the hell id the matter with you anyway?!" Kate demanded. "This!" Ryan pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and slammed it onto the nearest box. It was a child's drawing of a red haired woman. "And these!" he pulled pieces of paper out of his other pockets. They were all drawings of the same person. "And these aren't the only ones. I got a painting and a couple of clay sculptures." Kate didn't understand. "So. They're just drawings..." Ryan ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Yeah, they're just drawings. My drawings. Only I don't remember ever drawing them." Ryan began to pace back and forth. "What? Well, who are they drawings of?" "The woman from my dreams, the dead woman. Her name is Mi..." Ryan features clouded. "Her name is... I don't know. I don't know her." It sounded like a programmed response to Kate. "You do know, don't you?" Ryan seemed lost. "You do, don't you?" "Yes. No. Damn it! It's happening again!" Ryan continued to pace like some caged animal. "What's happening again?" Ryan flopped down on the floor and placed a supporting hand to his forehead. "I don't know. Well, it's like... God it's like I'm two different people!" Ryan sighed. "I just don't know what I'm going to do." Kate was almost as confused as Ryan. She sat down next to him. Only when she was seated did she remember the stuff from the box.  
  
A few odds and ends were mixed in with the stuff. it was mainly letters and cards that covered the floor. Unable to think of anything to do for Ryan she began to clean them up. After the second handful she realized what they were. "Hey Ryan, these are all addressed to you." Ryan grabbed one. "Hey, I don't get it. These are all unopened. I always answer my mail, even the junk mail." "These are all from the same address. 666... er... I can't read the rest. it's been blacked out. Who's Michelle Foster?" Ryan blinked. "My cousin. I don't have a cousin." "'97, '92, '89, '90... these go back at least ten years and they're all from the same address." Ryan seemed to have forgotten his earlier outburst. He grabbed the box that had contained the letters. "it isn't labeled..." Kate was stacking the letters in year order. "Aren't you going to open one?" He grabbed one, opening it he read it out loud:  
  
Dear Ryan,  
  
Happy Birthday! Seventeen again, huh? Jack sent you a card but I doubt you'll get it. By now I've realized you may never get to read these letters and still I write. Ugh! it's been a tough week at the shop but at least we got the job done. You'll be happy to learn that the compact is back in out hands again. Until next time, take care of yourself.  
  
Love  
  
Micki  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Micki was getting nervous. Victor Wolfe kept staring at her like she was some kind of exotic animal. Johnny noticed it too and moved slightly closer to her. "... I'm sure you understand. I have to give it some thought, but you still haven't told me why you want it." Johnny looked at her, them spoke. "You see Mr Wolfe, that pendent belonged to my mother, it has great sentimental value. When I asked Mr. Vendredi to hold on to it for me I had no idea he would sell it. I didn't even find out about it until after he'd died. It took me all this time to track it down. I'd really like to have it back, if you don't mind." Wolfe smiled. "But you see that is the problem. I do mind. I've had it for several years now. As I said, I shall have to think about it." He pulled a pocket watch out and glanced at it. "I see you hour has ended and yet your guide has not returned. It seems I shall have the pleasure of your company for awhile longer." He stared at Micki. "Not if I can help it," Johnny whispered. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" Johnny shook his head dismissivley. "Perhaps you would like to stay for dinner?" "Ah, no. We really have to be getting back..." "I insist." Micki sighed, "Of course we'd like to stay for dinner. Wouldn't we Johnny?" "Oh yeah. Love to."  
  
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"This is just all too much for me to take in," Kate said as she sat cross legged upon the pile of letters. "Who the hell are you?" "I wish I knew." He stood up and began to pace. Kate watched him pace back and forth. "These letters make no sense. An antique shop, a cousin you don't remember having yet you can draw her at the drop of a hat, someone named Jack. What could it all possibly mean?" "And why did my mother keep this all hidden? I know, we're swamped in questions we can't possibly answer and they only one who knew anything is... gone."  
  
Ryan stopped pacing. "I got to pack a bag." Kate was lost. "Why? Where are you going?" Ryan ran a tired hand through his hair. He'd been doing that alot lately. "I'm going to this address." He handed Kate one of the letters. "666 Druid Avenue?" "Maybe somebody there can help me. This Jack, or my 'cousin' or even this Johnny that's mentioned. One of them has got to know something. Kate stood up. "I've got to go." "What?" "I have to go pack. I'm going too. Meet me at my house in an hour." She winked at him. "I love a good adventure."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
The guide never came back. Johnny and Micki exchanged anxious glances. Victor Wolfe was regaling them with the story of his family. Micki was trying to look interested as she nervously swirled the ice in her drink. Johnny had refused to eat or drink anything. He passed it off by saying he was just getting over being sick... and so on. He was certain Wolfe would try something. He just didn't know what. Well, whatever it was and whenever it happened he was going to be ready.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Ryan hated long car rides. To his annoyance, Kate had insisted on driving and without the benefit of red lights and stupid drivers Ryan was left with nothing to occupy his mind. He ran through his entire life again trying to discover something strange, something that would provide a clue to whatever it was that he didn't know or couldn't remember. He came up empty every time. Ryan honestly couldn't remember anything out of the ordinary happening to him. Tired of thinking Ryan leaned back and stared out of the window. He had an 18 hour drive from his home in Philadelphia to 666 Druid Avenue in Chicago.  
  
Ryan dreamt. Images disjointed, confusion, hazy, floated before him. Pain. So many of the images were accompanied by pain. People screamed around him, in pain, dying. Voices rang out crying, pleading with him, "Help us!" and a voice overriding them all with his vicious laughter. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHA HAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA........  
  
Ryan jerked forward, fully awake. Kate flinched. "Are you all right? You scared the crap out of me! I thought you were asleep." Ryan ran a hand through his hair, then ran his hand along his face. He exhaled heavily. "I was asleep." Ryan stared out the car window, unfocusing his eyes and refusing to answer Kate's questioning stare.  
  
Kate drove, and she worried. Worried and drove. She was sure he'd had another one of his nightmares. It was obvious by the way he'd suddenly come awake (startling her half senseless in the process) and by the way he was avoiding her eyes. Everything he did these days worried Kate. All of a sudden he'd picked up weird mannerisms he'd never had before (per esempio: the way he constantly ran his hand through his hair) and he'd become so very distant. At first she had thought it was because of his mother's death, but know she wasn't sure.  
  
Kate had met Ryan almost 9 years ago in grade school. They'd been in the same English room. One day Ryan pulled a rather nasty trick on the teacher involving some crazy glue and they'd been friends ever since. They even decided to go to the same college together, and now he was going mad. At least that's the way it looked to Kate. Now there were off on some wild goose chase in search of a cousin Ryan doesn't have. Kate sighed and centered her thoughts on driving. She glanced over at Ryan and sighed as she realized he'd drifted off again.  
  
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Micki was very agitated by now. The guide was probably off drinking somewhere with his friends... or dead. She shook off the creepy feeling that had begun to seep in to her. Or was it the food? Lucky Johnny had been smart enough to talk himself out of having to eat, but what about her. He wouldn't poison her, would he?  
  
Micki stared into the giant mirror in her room. She and Johnny had been seperated for and hour and it made her very nervous. If Wolfe had poisoned the food, she would die and Johnny would have to be gotten rid of somehow too... "You're getting ahead of yourself, Foster. You're over reacting. God, you don't even know if he's using the object yet let alone whether he's going to kill you." A knock sounded at her door. Shrugging, she cried, "It's open." Victor Wolfe entered. "I trust everything is to your liking?" "Yes, everything is fine." He walked up behind her and stared at her reflection in the mirror. "You are very lovely..." Micki picked up the hair brush that lay on her bureau. Long association with cursed objects had taught her a very good lesson- hair brushes make excellent weapons. "Why thank you." Wolfe circled around her and walked over to the bedroom door. "I will send for someone to come for you and your friend in the morning. Pleasant dreams." If not anything else, Micki was certain of one thing... She did not like this man.  
  
Johnny sat in his room wondering why this whole set up reminded him of Dracula. Standing up he walked over to the door. "When in Rome..." he whispered as exited the room and went looking for Micki. "I sure hope I don't get stopped by three or four devastatingly beautiful bloodsucking women," he said as if giving a cue. He shook his head. "Oh well, so much for that dream." Johnny sighed, as he slinked down the corridor.  
  
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Victor Wolfe had never had this happen to him before. Usually the prey had to be dragged kicking and screaming in to his lair. He had intended to take full advantage of the situation. He might keep the woman on for awhile. She was very pretty, and she reminded him of his first wife Grace. She had been a red head as well. Yes he'd keep the woman, but the other one and the guide, would have to go. They would have to die soon. It was time. Pain swept over Wolfe as he clutched at his pendant.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Pieter Shiefler stood quietly. He thought maybe he should scream or pull at his chains, but it would be of no use. Wolfe was going to kill him, of that Pieter was sure. He didn't know why. He didn't want to die. A slight movement to the left of him caught his attention. A shadow detached itself from the far wall.  
  
Pieter nearly cried when he saw the man he had fared up here. "Help me, please." The man stepped forward, bent a paperclip in hand. "I'll have you out in a minute."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Johnny hadn't expected to find the guide in here, but it did tell him he had been right all evening and now Micki was in big trouble.  
  
A shadow fell over Johnny, obscuring his vision. A familiar voice called out from behind him. A look of pure terror was affixed on the guide's face. "You have twice insulted me. You refuse to eat my food, you try to free my prey. What next?" Johnny turned around to face Victor Wolfe, but he was totally unprepared for the sight that met him. He didn't get a chance to study it either. No sooner had he turned around when a clawed hand impacted with his face tossing him several feet away. The thing then advanced on the guide, who screamed horribly as the creature rended him, sometimes taking the time to eat some of him. Johnny began retching horribly.  
  
He was still reeling from the blow, but he knew he had to get away. Johnny half stumbled, half ran from the room. The creature followed at an odd, ground eating lope. Johnny jumped over tables and slid down stairwells, yet the creature was always right behind him. Finally the creature trapped him on the second floor. The 'thing' began to cackle horribly as it advanced. Glancing around, Johnny spotted his only escape. A window. Johnny jumped. As she fell he repeated every prayer he knew and then marveled at how fast one could pray as they plummeted to their death. THUMP!!! The world went black.  
  
Above the creature sniffed the air mournfully, as if regretting the loss of a meal. It lifted it's horrible muzzle to the sky and howled.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Ryan slammed forward, throwing his arms out to slow his forward momentum. "Whoa! Sorry Ryan." Ryan gave Kate a dirty look. "Where'd you learn to drive?" "Hey, I said I was sorry. We're here." Ryan looked out the car window. "Feel anything?" "Like what?" "I don't know. Deja vou?" "No, nothing. Maybe I'm just crazy."  
  
Kate stood back as Ryan approached the store. It's exterior was painted a gloomy olive green and an old sign hung in the window. "Curious Goods. This is the place." The old bricks looked like they would fall down at any minute, and Kate felt something. A dark feeling. "Do you feel that?" Ryan was almost at the door. "What?" "I don't know, it's a... I don't know. I don't like it. Let's go..." Ryan sighed. "Come on." He stepped up to the door and rang the bell. No on answered.  
  
"Well, I guess that's it, nobody's home. Let's go..." Ryan reached up to the top of the door sign and lifted out a small key. When Kate looked at him he shrugged helplessly. "Let's check it out." Kate took one more look at the outside world, her sanity and prepared to enter the unknown.  
  
The inside of the shop was the creepiest thing she had ever seen. All sorts of odds and ends hung everywhere. Leering masks and animal heads, dusty pots and vases, distorted sculptures and hundreds of other so called art pieces were cluttered in every available space. Kate hugged herself. This place reminded her of every single reason she's feared the dark as a child. On the other hand, Ryan looked perfectly at home.  
  
Ryan navigated the clutter instinctively. He looked at everything curiously. For reasons he couldn't explain if he tried, he realized what was bothering Kate. "The place itself isn't evil Kate," she said as if reading her mind. She gave him a confused look. "I don't understand." Neither did Ryan...  
  
...Ryan stood behind the counter, holding as ancient mask. This was going to be cool. Working his own shop. Okay he had to share it with his cousin, who cares? This place was cool...  
  
"Come on. Let's explore." Ryan headed up the stairs. Halfway up he noticed he was alone. "Are you coming?" "Yeah, okay." Kate wondered if Ryan noticed how strange he was acting.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Johnny woke slowly. It was still dark. He heaved himself up out of the hay pile that had saved his life. Johnny groaned. He'd probably broken a few ribs. He had to get help, he was no good to Micki in this condition. Johnny started painfully down the road.  
  
Johnny cried out as he fell to the ground for the fifth time. "I'm not going to make it by myself." He searched the side of the road for a stick or something to support himself. Nothing. "I'll just rest here for a minute..."  
  
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"You do know this is breaking and entering." Ryan ignored her as he opened a door. "This is my room." "Hmm?" Ryan walked into the room. "This is my room." The walls were pale, old lattice curtains... "What do you mean 'This is my room'?" Ryan ignored her as he looked around the room. To be precise he was unaware that's he'd even spoken. He was too intent in looking around the room. Almost everything looked familiar somehow, yet Ryan could have sworn he'd never laid eyes on the place before in his life.  
  
Kate was getting pretty damned tired of this. It was getting to the point where Ryan was phasing out every couple of minutes leaving Kate to fend for herself. Kate crossed her arms and waited for the 'ready' light in Ryan's brain to come back on.  
  
In what seemed like an eternity to Kate, Ryan explored the room. And after glimpsing that the glazed quality had faded from Ryan's eyes, she decided it would be a good time to start asking some questions. "Have you been here before?" He blinked. "No. Yes. I think so..." Kate sighed. "Now we're getting somewhere." She said sarcastically. Ryan's temper flared. "Look, I'm just as frustrated as you are okay! Just give me a minute to think." He ran a nervous hand through his hair and sat down on the bed. "I thought I would know whatever it was when I got here, but now... now I'm more confused then ever. I just which I'd never started having these damn dreams. I just want things to go back to the way they were."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Micki stared again in to her mirror. She couldn't seem to sleep. "And why not? You're only trapped over night in the house of an owner of a cursed object which you have absolutely no idea what it does. God only knows where Johnny is." She sat on the edge of her bed in the loose white shift that had been given to her to sleep in. It reminded her of the outfits virgins used to wear before being sacrificed. "Happy thoughts." Micki got up and went to the door. It was time to get Johnny and the pendant and get out of here.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Johnny heard hoofbeats. Rousing himself he realized he had been sleeping. To was nearly light. He heaved himself to his feet as the carriage appeared. "Hey! Over here!" The driver slowed to a halt. He leaned out of his carriage and asked something in German. Johnny looked at him uncomprehending the collapsed as the world around him suddenly went black.  
  
He awoke sometime later. An old woman stood over him muttering in German. "I got to get help," he whispered. She murmured something that was probably ment to be comforting, but the meaning was lost on him. "No, you don't understand. I've got to get help..." Johnny tried to get out of the bed and was roughly pushed back down. Johnny struggled. It was no use though, he was too weak to be of any use to anybody.  
  
A knock sounded at the bedroom door. A large man appeared at the door. "Hello. I understand you are American?" A look of relief crossed Johnny's face. "Thank God! Look, my friend Micki needs me and I..." "You, my friend, are going nowhere. You have three broken robs and several bone bruises, not to mention a concussion. No no, my friend, you are going to be resting for quite awhile."  
  
Johnny was positive this wasn't good for him. he slinked down the hall way and out the door. His ribs felt like they were going to explode and his head buzzed unmercifully. Lucky for him he'd been driven back to the village and was only a few block away from the hotel.  
  
The hotel management was not happy to have a crazy American screaming about having to reach Chicago at six o'clock in the morning. It took a few minutes to get it all sorted out, and then the call was off. Johnny was never so glad to see an information super highway link-up in his life.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
"...All right, I understand that you yourself don't know what you know. But don't you think you would have the common decency to tell yourself what you know? You know?" Ryan stared at her. "I don't understand a word you just said. Assuming anyone would understand that, other than you. In other words... What I'm trying to say here is, what the hell was that supposed to mean?" Ryan ran a hand through his hair, a gesture that was becoming quite natural to him and said calmly, "Can we try that question again... in English?" Kate took a deep breath and expelled it sharply as the phone next to her began to ring. "Don't..."  
  
Ryan had the phone to his ear in an instant. "How did you..." Ryan hushed her. "Hello?" An image appeared on the phone's monitor. The young man in the other line looked startled. He was so startled he didn't say anything. Ryan was getting nervous. "Look buddy, whoever you are we can already see you so you might as well say something." That seemed to do it. The man ran his hand through his dark hair on an all too familiar gesture. The significance was not lost on Ryan. "Ryan? My God! Is it you?" Now it was Ryan's turn to be taken aback. "Yeah. Yeah it's me. How's it going?" He gave Kate a confused shrug. "Look Ryan, we're in trouble..." "What? What's the matter?" The man looked down at his shoes. "It's Micki, Ryan." Kate's eyes got very wide and Ryan shushed her before she could say anything. "I had to leave her behind. Look, I can't do this alone. You've got to come to Germany.. Get Jack..." Ryan put his hand to his head, "Okay, where is he?" Kate hissed at him. "Rasheed's. The address is in the book. He's moved a couple of times. Ryan, hurry." The link broke off abruptly.  
  
Ryan sat quietly. Kate exploded, "Who the hell was that!? How did he know who you were? And why in God's name did you agree to go to Germany!!??" "I have to," Ryan said calmly. "Now, where could that book be?" Kate was about to go off on another tirade, but she was interrupted by the sound of the door bells jingling.  
  
Ryan set off for the stairs, but stopped at the top. Kate nearly slammed into him. "I think... I think I know him." His voice was filled with uncertainty. The man who had entered the shop was in his late fifties with a balding pate and old wire frame glasses. He was slightly stocky, but not enough to be heavy looking. The man carried a bag of groceries in one hand and a dime store novel in the other.  
  
The man suddenly looked up and spotted them. His eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Ryan. Ryan noticed. "Jack? Your name is Jack, right?" Jack nodded, catching Ryan's haunted eyes he smiled disarmingly. "Ryan." He spoke the name cautiously. "I'm sorry about your mother. She was fine woman." Kate stepped forward. "You know him?" Jack smiled. "Yes, I do. But I believe we haven't had the pleasure yet. Jack Marshack." "Kate Brannigan." He smiled. Ryan's eyes were clouded. "We don't have time for this." His voice was tense. "Somebody called. He said we have to go to Germany. Micki's in trouble." "Oh dear. We'd better be off then."  
  
***  
  
  
"I can't believe I'm doing this." Kate sat next to Ryan on the plane, Jack sat on the other side of him. "You could've stayed home you know." Kate smiled ruefully. "And never find out what's wrong with you? Never." Jack looked over at Kate. "There's nothing wrong with Ryan as far as I can see. He's acting very normal considering the hand fate dealt him."  
  
Ryan looked at Jack strangely it seemed to Kate, like he always got his information from Jack. "What do you mean?" Jack answered with a question. "What do you remember?" "Not much." "How old are you Ryan?" "Twenty-two." Jack shook his head no. "What do you mean, no?" "By my estimate, you're in your thirties. Give or take a year."   
  
Kate practically stood up. "That's is! I've had enough! Let me off this crazy ride." She threw her arms up in front of her warding off Jack's words. Ryan smiled, for once he agreed with Kate. "That's impossible. People just don't lose ten years like that. You just don't wake up one morning as a kid again. It just doesn't happen." Jack said nothing.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Micki tiptoed down the hallway. Every so often she would call out Johnny's name. So far she'd seen nothing, live or dead. It was making her really nervous. A sounds from behind startled her. She turned quickly, but not quick enough to see whatever blunt object was used to hit her over the head. The world went black.  
  
She woke up some while later with a marvelous headache. "Where am I?" The sound of laughter reached her from somewhere beneath her. She stood up to find her vision limited by bars. "My dear Micki, I'm so sorry. I'm afraid something terrible has happened to your traveling companion." Micki looked down at victor Wolfe's smiling face. "What did you do with Johnny!" He laughed again. "It seems he jumped out the window. I don't think he made it." Victor made a clicking sound with his tongue. "Too bad."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Kate slept fitfully. Ryan wished he'd made her stay home. This whole thing was driving her crazy. And now every time he did something the would get these looks from her, these intense looks like he was growing wings or something. It was unnerving.  
  
"You're quite, Ryan." Jack's eyes held the same look Kate's had taken on, a quite expectancy. Unlike Kate, however, Jack was looking for familiarities, not differences. Both of them were beginning top grate on his nerves. "Yeah yeah, I guess I am." Jack continued to stare at him. Ryan wished he'd cut it out.  
  
Ryan turned away from Jack. This was getting a little bit out of hand. He turned back to see Jack sitting there with a sympathetic look plastered on his face. That was the last straw. "Stop it! Stop looking at me as if you know what I'm going through! I don't know what I'm going through!" To Ryan's great annoyance the kindly sympathetic looked remained fixed on Jacks' face. Ryan ran a frustrated hand through his hair and Jack gave him a 'That's more like it!' look. Then he quickly tried to hide his expression behind one hand. Ryan sighed and looked away from him.  
  
"Wait Ryan. I'm sorry. It must seem very strange to you, doing all of this again..." "Doing what again? First you tell me I'm in my thirties. Now you're telling me I've done all this before but what's all this?" Jack wouldn't meet his eyes. "Weare going to help out your cousin Micki." Ryan latched onto that name. "I remember her. She had red hair." "That's right." Jack took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "What kind of trouble is she in?" Jack looked Ryan squarely in the eyes. "I wish I knew."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Micki wasn't going to cry. She didn't have time right now, but she did have time for anger. "You monster!" Victor Wolfe only laughed harder. Then a strange look came over his face. "But don't worry, my dear Micki, you aren't going to meet the same fate." Micki knew she was in trouble now. She'd seen that look before. She sat down in the cage and waited for his next move.  
  
"I need beauty in my life, Micki, every now and then. So I've decided to keep you around for awhile. You are so lovely..." He outstretched one hand towards the cage. "Just like my dear sweet Sasha..." Micki spotted an opening, "Sahsa? Was she your wife or daughter?" "My daughter. I killed her." His face was a mask of bitter sweet memory.   
  
Micki knew she had to keep him talking. She needed to get as much information as she could about Victor Wolfe and his silver pendant. Hopefully this little trek down the old memory lane of horror would tell her something. "Why?" He turned his eyes towards her and was surprised to see tears in his eyes. His voice was rough. "You mean why did I kill her, or why am I telling you all of this?" "Both." Victor looked up towards the ceiling. "I don't know how it happened, it was an accident... You believe me, don't you?" The look in his eyes frightened Micki it was so intense. "Yes." His eyes fixed on hers. "I couldn't control it yet. it was too powerful." Micki moved forward and placed her hands on the bars. "What was too powerful?" "The creature. You see, I had been sick. Very sick... dying. I couldn't leave my dear sweet Sasha all alone, not after she had lost her mother. I tried everything, powders, potions, everything." The bitter edge had crept back into his voice. "But nothing worked. I was going to die, and Sasha would be alone. And orphan. Then I went to a shop in Chicago. I didn't even know why I was there or how I had come to be taking about my illness... The shopkeep, he told me he could help me. He sold me this pendant..." Victor caressed the pendent. "He told me it could help me, and when I asked how, he told me I would know when the time came." "And did you?" A flood of emotions filled his face and voice, "Yes, oh yes. A week after I returned home it happened. The full moon flooded the night sky and I changed. I became all emotion without coherent thought. I ran through the woods wild and free. By happenschance I came upon a wood cutter. I killed him. When I woke up in the morning I was healed. Sasha, she laughed. 'Papa! You have color in your face!' Color." Tears streamed down his face. "It happened again the next night. I found no one. There was no one to hunt. No one save my Sasha. I tore her little body to pieces."  
  
He turned away from Micki, covering his eyes with one arm. "I'm so sorry..." As if she had thrown a switch, Victor's whole stance changed. He whirled around to face her. "Yes well, that's all in the past. She's dead, you're not and all you have to do now is figure out how to keep it that way." Victor held tight to his pendant as he exited the room.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Ryan led the way as they exited the plane. "Let's find this Johnny and find out exactly what's going on." Kate nodded. The three of them walked towards the airport each wrapped in his or her own thoughts. They were met halfway by a badly staggering Johnny.  
  
Automatically Ryan reached out to steady the older man. "Hey man, what happened to you?" Johnny gratefully leaned on Ryan. "I jumped out a window." Jack's eyes widened in shock. "What?!" "My God are you all right?" Kate spoke simultaneously. Johnny smiled at all the fuss. Boy was it great to have some help. "I have several broken ribs and several contusions and no, I'm not all right." Jack came over to support the other side of him. "My God man, you shouldn't be standing let alone walking around. We've got to get you someplace where you can lie down." "Later. We've got to get back to the village." Ryan spoke up, "Where's Micki?" "Let's get moving I'll explain on the way."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Victor Wolfe watched his prisoner from a distance corner of the room. Her beauty astounded him even from this distance, but it would fade. Beauty never lasted long. It died like his beautiful wife Grace and his lovely Sasha... flowers that die all too quickly, all too quickly.  
  
She stirred in her cage. He wondered what she thought of him. He wondered why he cared what she thought of him. She brushed back a lock of her red hair and sat back on her haunches in frustration. He wondered if her blood would run as red as her hair when he killed her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
"...and the thing chased me to the window and it was either jump or be eaten." Johnny tried to make himself as comfortable as possible, but he hurt all over and nothing seemed to help. He was also aware that he was being scrutinized by the young woman who had accompanied them.  
  
Kate wasn't sure what to make of any of this. She examined the man they had spoken to over the vid-phone. He dark hair, nearly black, was tousled and his clothes were rumpled. He had several nasty bruises purpling on his arms and one particularly nasty gash on his forehead. He looked like he'd been in a fall, yet how could she believed his story? Monsters chasing people and forcing them to jump out castle windows? It sounded like a fairy tale, a very sick and frightening fairy tale. She noticed he was staring back at her and she let her eyes slide away towards the floor of the coach.  
  
Ryan sat with one arm propping up his head. Kate didn't know what to think of him. And the look on Johnny's told her that neither did he. She wondered what he and Ryan or even Jack was thinking. Kate wasn't sure about this.  
  
What did she really know about these people? Even Ryan whom she'd known for a long time had seemed to become a stranger to her in the past couple of days. He'd developed quirks he'd never had before, had become more defensive and so quick to anger. And the rest of the them, Jack Marshack and Johnny...? God she didn't even know his last name! And here she was about to put her life in danger for a woman she'd never met. She prayed to God they were all just part of some really bad dream and could wake up from... now.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Micki knew he was watching her from the shadows. She felt his presence. She wondered where Johnny was. Maybe Victor had been right... NO. Micki would concentrate on what she knew for a fact and put the speculations away for later. The fact was she had to get out of here. Victor was crazy, completely out of his mind. Obviously his killing his own daughter had driven him mad. Micki wondered if that could be used to her advantage. "Wait and see, Micki. Wait and see."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Johnny found himself wanting to ask a million questions. First and foremost of those questions was why Ryan was here. He'd thought that his friends Ryan wasn't able to remember him. Why then was he sitting here in this coach, going off to rescue Micki?  
  
"Why are you here, Ryan?" Ryan looked steadily at Johnny. The girl, Kate took a sharp breath as if to say that he'd stolen her question. "I want to know." "Know what?" Ryan ran a hand through his hair. Johnny recognized the gesture. He himself had picked it up shortly after meeting Ryan. "Who I am. Who I was. Who you are, why Mr. Marshack here always answers my questions cryptically, why I'm supposedly in my thirties when I'm obviously in my twenties. Everything." Johnny smiled. "Too bad there's absoluty no time to tell you." Ryan smiled and leaned back into the darkness of the car.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Victor was in pain. Soon he would have to change to fend off the disease. But there was no... food available. He didn't want to kill her girl. Send the man, name... Karl. Yes Karl to the village. Bring food back, bring bring bring back food. "Karl!!" HUNGER! Victor reeled from the pain. He'd waited to long! His mind cried out in pain. He didn't want to kill her, not yet. Now when she is still so young and beautiful! He had to see her fading beauty one last time.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
When they reached the hotel, Johnny was unceremoniously thrown into the hands of the nearest attendant, but he understood. There was no time for pleasantries when a friends life is on the line. he waved as they drove off, frustrated that he'd been stupid enough to get injured and thus left behind.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
As soon as Johnny was safely out of the car, Jack began the preparations. He handed both Ryan and Kate a small pair of headphones with a small wrap around microphone. "We'll have to keep in close contact at all times. Kate, stay with Ryan at all times. Don't let yourself get separated from him at any time for any reason." Kate nodded, putting on the headset. Satisfied, Jack turned to Ryan. "Ryan I know you don't consciously remember anything, but I'm hoping your instincts are still intact. When we get in there your job is to find Micki and get out. I'm going to get that pendant if I can..." Ryan looked concerned. "Don't worry. I have no intention of becoming a martyr yet. If I can't get the pendant I'll leave. I'm too old to be a hero and the important thing is to get Micki out of there safe and sound." "No funny stuff, old man. I don't know you well enough to miss you, yet." Jack's face took on a rye expression. "And that would be a shame.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Kate was as frightened as a jack rabbit. this was some pretty serious trouble she' gotten herself into. Stay with Ryan, everything will be fine as long as you stay with Ryan. She exited the relative safety of the car with some trepidation. Jack put his hand on her shoulder in a fatherly gesture and she felt somewhat comforted. "Well at least if I die it'll be for a good cause." Ryan smiled down at her. Sometimes those few extra inches really annoyed her. "You're not going to die. Not as long as you're with me." "Oh I feel so reassured," she said sarcastically as they moved towards the castle.  
  
Kate didn't feel any better when they bypassed the front door and went into the abandoned carriage house. And she definitly didn't feel better when she followed Ryan into the castle through as old broken window. In fact Kate didn't think it was possible to feel worse than how she felt right now.  
  
Ryan led the way, whispering a commentary to her as they traveled. "Jack has to find his own way in so if we get caught or he does, whatever group remains will still have a chance to rescue Micki." "What if she's dead Ryan? What if she's dead and we're risking out lives for her corpse?" Ryan swung his flashlight around into Kate's face. "Then we get her body out of here and get that pendant, making sure we strangle him with it's chain..." The last part he said under his breath as he swung the beam back out in front of him.  
  
"We're lucky we got in so easily," Kate said in an effort to keep Ryan talking. It worked. "Yeah, it's probably a part of the castle that no one uses anymore. No on ever thinks to check the windows after a storm or keep the mortar that holds the pane in from crumbling..." Kate was reassured by the sound of Ryan's voice.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Victor Wolfe stumbled into the room sweating and panting. Micki stood in the cage and backed away from him. Victor practically crashed against the cage and was forced to use the bars to support himself. Sweat trickled down his face as he fought some inner struggle.  
  
"I'm sorry my dear," he said very casually, "I'm afraid my hospitality is obviously lacking." He was breathing hard by this point and his body had begun to tremble. "I have so enjoyed your company, but now you must leave. Permanently I'm afraid... I am sorry..." Micki knew she had to do something and she had to do it fast. Her voice became plaintive, entreating, "Papa, please..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Victor's vision blurred. it would have been too soon. he could wait no longer for release from the pain. "Papa, please..." Victor reeled as if struck by an invisible fist. "Please don't hurt me." Sasha? No! Sasha was dead. But there she was before him. Oh she was so beautiful... No! "You are dead! Leave me alone!" Sasha stood facing him defiantly pounding one foot, her flaming red hair flow... Flaming red hair?  
  
Victor peered closer at the girl in the cage. A child of eight he saw... No? Images of a young girl with chestnut hair overlaid the red head before him. Anger cleared his vision quickly enough. "you tricked me!" Victor roared, diving at her through the bars. the woman dove to the back of the cage, avoiding his hands by inches.  
  
Victor gave himself over to the pain, no longer restraining the urge to change, to kill.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Micki pushed herself up against the bars, keeping as far away from Victor as she could. He began to scream. the scream slowly modulated to a keening sound that sent shivers up Micki's spine. His face distorted and expanded, the nose extended forward and hair forced it's way through the flesh. All the while Victor Wolfe was keening horribly.  
  
Micki knew that it was over this time. there was no miracle rescue, no amazing resurrections from the dead. this was it. Micki hoped Johnny was all right and could go on without her. And then she wished she'd been the one returned to childhood to get a chance at a second, better life. The creature raised itself off the floor, spittle dripping from it glistening teeth.  
  
Oh God...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Jack sat crouched in the hallway. From here he could see everything. And what he saw at this moment scared the hell out of him. Micki sat trapped in a cage while what could only be described as a monster advanced on her. What to do, what to do.  
  
Just then from the other side of the room a door opened. Ryan and Kate had spotted Micki, but they couldn't see the werewolf yet. "Lord give me the strength to die a fools death." He muttered to himself as he left his hiding spot and charged straight towards the monster.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Ryan peered at the woman in the cage and stopped. Kate nearly crashed into him. "What?" Ryan moved over a bit so Kate could see. "Is that her?" Ryan nodded, he then spotted Jack. "What the hell is he doing?!" Ryan watched Jack charge towards the cage and saw for the first time a giant shadow rise up in front of Jack. "Oh hell," he whispered.  
  
Assessing the situation and choking back a scream, Kate yelled to Ryan as she ran past him, "We gotta get her out of there while Jack keeps that thing distracted." She charged up to the cage and swung around to the side with the lock on it. Pulling a Swiss army knife out of her pocket, she jammed it into the lock. She nodded to the woman in the cage. "Hi," she said simply as she tried to spring the lock. The red haired woman turned to look at her. "You gotta get me outta here." "I'm trying. I'm trying." Kate looked up just in time to see Jack dive to the floor as a large thing swung a clawed hand at him. "You gotta get me outta here now!" The pressure was getting to Kate. "I can't get it! I can't!" A hysterical note had crept into her voice. Ryan nearly crashed into her. She gladly passed the knife to him and disappeared. Ryan was too intent on the lock to notice her departure.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Micki didn't have time to find out what was going on. She had to get out of this cage now. "Ryan! Ryan get me outta here!" Sweat trickled down Ryan's face as he jingled the knife around the lock. "Come on, come on! Open!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
'Just what in the hell do you think you are doing?' Kate asked herself as she charged towards Jack and the monster. Jack was bleeding from several cuts and it was obvious to her that that thing was only playing with Jack, so why in the hell was she going to attack it? Knowing she's probably completely lost it by now, Kate grabbed hold of the nearest object which happened to be a ribbed back chair and smashed it over the monster's head in an act of complete stupidity. It was a good thing she retained enough intelligence to get out of there as quickly as possible.  
  
In an act that was almost completely impossible, the monster jumped, whirled, and launched itself on to Kate as she tried to make good her escape. All she could manage was a startled "Umpf!" as she crashed to the ground with a sickening cracking sound.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Ryan practically ripped the lock off when he'd finally undone the damn thing. He flung it from himself as if it itself were cursed and threw open wide the cage door. Micki dove out, her night gown flaring out around her. She dove towards the combatants and Ryan bolted after her.  
  
As the rounded the cage, Ryan spotted the thing perched on top of Kate. Blood streamed red from her mouth and nose, then all Ryan saw was red. Like a madman he charged the beast and launched himself, full speed, at it. He hit the thing in a wild tackle and to his surprise both he and the beast went flying. They contacted with the far wall, and everything went black for Ryan.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Jack was by Kate's side in an instant. Tears of pains were making their way down her face at a tortured pace. "Kate, can you hear me? No, don't try to talk. Just hang on. We'll get you out of here." Kate stirred. "Don't try to move. Whatever you do, don't try to move." Jack watched Micki square off in front of the thing. Off to her right, a stunned Ryan was getting shakily to his feet. They didn't stand a chance against that thing... Unless... "Micki! Ryan! Go for the pendant! Go for the pendant! Take it and he'll change back!" Micki and Ryan nodded and began circling the creature. It made playful swipes at them, obviously fully enjoying the entertainment they were providing it.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Ryan hoped the thing wasn't tiring of it's game, because that was the only thing that was keeping them alive. He looked at Micki and she nodded. She would distract the thing. Look for your opening, Ryan, and take it. The creature, werewolf his mind classified it, began to take a vested interest in Micki. It began to edge forward slightly with each supposedly playful weaved backward and forward coming dangerously close to Micki... That thing wanted Micki! It' hadn't taken the time to kill either him or Kate because that thing wanted Micki first.  
  
"Micki! Run!" Micki bolted. Angrily the beast swung wide and it's chest was exposed for a full three seconds. Ryan took the opening and dove onto the creatures chest, wildly tearing through the fur. The werewolf was knocked off balance and crashed to the floor. Ryan crouched on top of the creature, tearing chest fur out in clumps.  
  
The werewolf howled in pain and threw Ryan from itself as if he'd weighed no more than a cat. Ryan rolled clear and prepared for another rush, but he didn't get the chance. Micki ran towards the creature t blurring speed and hurled herself onto the creature as it struggled to rise.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Micki yanked out bloody tufts of hair while the creature tried to recover from the shock of a second attack. Too late! Micki wanted to yell triumphantly as her hands connected with the cold smooth surface of the pendant. With no signs of mercy, Micki tore it from the thing's flesh and was thrown clear of the monster. She slammed into a nearby wall but was otherwise unhurt.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Ryan half crawled, half slid across the floor towards Kate. He looked towards Jack who shook his head. It didn't look good. He and Jack looked over to see what had happened to the monster.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
The creature screamed in pain as a brilliant red light exploded from the wound in it's chest. The light spread like poison across the fur, expanding rapidly from the chest wound. It was quickly consuming the monster. In a flash, the creature became a glowing crimson mass. The mass convulsed and shot out a beam of light the exact color of blood. The beam shot towards the pendant and was absorbed, leaving the broken body of Victor Wolfe behind.  
  
The silver pendant continued to glow red as she approached the rapidly deteriorating Victor Wolfe. He coughed as she approached. Little flecks of red were mixed with the froth building up around his face. She knelt by Victor, ignoring a warning glare from Ryan and took his head into her arms. "Victor?" His voice rasped painfully and when he coughed. Blood sprayed over his lips. "Take the pendant to the girl. I couldn't save my daughter from myself," he coughed again and blood dribbled down his chin, "but I can save this girl. I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt anybody. But I was a coward, afraid to die." The last few words were barley a whisper. Victor shot Micki a look that was full of remorse, and yet not.  
  
Micki let his head fall gently to the stone floor. She stood up and walked towards the girl lying face down, a small puddle of blood forming near her face. Ryan was stroking her hair, trying to keep it together. Not knowing what to do with the thing, Micki handed the pendant to Jack who placed it on Kate's back.  
  
A crimson shower exploded from within the pendant. It bathed Kate in red and her crushed rib cage expanded back to normal size. Sickening sounds emanated from her as bones went back together and the puddle of blood was slowly reabsorbed into her. A moan issued from her throat and a sigh of relief sounded from the trio.  
  
Ryan lifted Kate up carefully. "Let's get out of here. And the two of you better have a helluva story for us." Jack opened his mouth to speak, but Ryan shut him up. "No more cryptic answers and no evasions." They left the castle and headed for the car. When they reached it, Micki looked back at the house. "What about the butler?" "Butler?" Ryan echoed. "Yeah. Karl." Jack removed his glasses in an elegant gesture of fatigue. "Oh I suppose he'll not be causing anyone any harm. I think it's best if we just leave him alone."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Ryan was surprised when Micki's eyes seemed to be filled with pain. "Jack, Johnny...he jumped..." Ryan smiled as he placed Kate gently into the car. Jack smiled too. "I know. Very foolish of him. The fool got several cracked ribs for his trouble." Micki smiled and sighed in relief. "Victor told me he as dead." "Well, let's go pick him up and you can hear that story from the horses mouth."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
Johnny was resting uncomfortably in his hotel room. He couldn't stand not knowing. His friends could all be off dying somewhere and he'd never know it. Damn it! He wished he'd never jumped out that window! At least then he could have died with his friends. Wait, you don't even know of they are dead yet! Micki, Ryan and Jack have been in situations much worse that this one and they'd been fine. Who was he kidding? Ryan couldn't remember if the sky was blue let alone take on a cursed object owner. And Kate had absolutely no experience in this kind of thing at all...  
  
"Johnny! You're all right!" Micki ran into the room and proceeded to give Johnny a warm hug, carefully lest she hurt him. Jack came in next leading Ryan who was carrying Kate. "What happened?" Ryan placed her on the bed next to Johnny taking care to bush an errant lock of hair back into place. "She's okay, we think," Ryan said collapsing into the chair beside the bed. The all took up comfortable places and prepared to tell Johnny their story.  
  
  
"... and this red beam shot out of the pendant and it just sort of put Kate back together. Then we got her out of there." Ryan sat back. He'd just finished his part in the story telling. It had reminded him of a game he'd played as a child, the one where one person would start and then someone else would pick up from where they'd left off. He wondered if he should have told them about the nightmares?  
  
Johnny leaned back as well. "Ryan, you said you just stumbled onto those letters?" Ryan sighed. "Actually," he looked down at his shoes, "I threw a temper tantrum and they fell out all over the floor. Kate was the one who thought there was something strange about them." Ryan glanced at Kate lying unconscious on the bed. "And they led you to the shop?" "Yeah. The address was on all of the letters. And then you called..." "And I had you come all the way out here to rescue a cousin you didn't even know." Ryan nodded.  
  
Jack stood up an stretched. "Well, I suggest we all get some sleep. I don't know about you, but this old body is sorely in need of a night's rest." A round of 'Here, heres' went up and Micki stood. "Jack, are they still holding my room?" He nodded. "Last time I checked. You three will be all right in here?" Jack asked indicating Ryan, Johnny and Kate. Ryan nodded, "yeah. We'll be fine." "Call me if she wakes up." "You got it. Good night." "Good night." Jack and Micki left.  
  
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"Are you going to be all right on the floor?" Johnny asked as he made himself comfortable on his half of the bed. He'd already been talked out of joining Ryan on the floor and giving the whole bed over to Kate. He was to remember he was still in pretty bad shape and didn't need to wake up stiff. "Yeah I'll be fine. Can I ask you a couple of questions?" Johnny nodded. "I'll answer if I can, okay?" "Good enough."  
  
Ryan thought for a minute, then asked, "You knew me pretty well, right?" "Not as well as Jack or Micki but I knew you pretty well." "What am... was I like?" "Give me a second. It was a long time ago." Johnny sighed. "You were an okay guy. You didn't like me at first." "Why not?" "I guess it was because of Micki..." "Micki?" "Yeah. I liked her And I guess you were, well, jealous." "Really?" Johnny laughed at Ryan's surprised expression. "But she's my cousin." Johnny smiled. "Only by marriage. But I don't think that was it. You, Micki and Jack were a pretty tight group and I was sort of an interloper."  
  
Ryan nodded. "Okay, but we did become friends?" "Oh yeah, after I got involved in the shop, we did. But you asked me what you were like, right?" He nodded. "You were reckless, excitable and you had terrible luck with girlfriends." Johnny smiled to take the sting out of his words, "You were also honest, loyal, a good artist and a person I was proud to call my friend. Does that answer you question?" Ryan nodded. "I'd love to tell you more, but I'm wiped out." "Just one more question. How come Jack made us wear headsets and microphones to keep in touch, but he didn't use them to warn us about the creature?" "He's a very strange old man, isn't he?"  
  
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Johnny was asleep in seconds, but Ryan couldn't sleep. Johnny had said he was a person that he was glad to call his friend. He'd also said Ryan was excitable and what did he mean about his girlfriends? Excitable. Well, that certainly described his recent mood swings. He was an artist then too... He had a sudden image of himself and an older man. The man was offering him a gun. "Come on son, hold it." Ryan shook his head, placing his hands in front of him in a warding off stance. "Come on." "No." A look of contempt came over the man's ace. "Oh, I forgot. You're one of those artistic types, aren't you?"...  
  
Ryan shook the image of that man from his head. It was replaced by the image of that man in a red cloud, screaming. He's seen that one before. Voices rose up in his mind. They screamed his name and called for help. Their voices rose and the screams became more high pitched. A man's voice rose above the screams. This voice laughed and laughed and laughed...  
  
Ryan awoke with a start. He was shaking all over. He ran his hands through his hair and they came away wet. He looked around for the source of his fear. There was nothing there. It was still dark. Relieved, Ryan laid back down on the throw rug and pulled the comforter over his shoulders. There was no way he was going to get back to sleep tonight.  
  
Out of the darkness, two eyes watched Ryan. Kate shifted her glance away and went back to sleep.  
  
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In the morning, Ryan was exhausted. He hadn't gone back to sleep all night but he had seen a lovely sunrise. Ryan went to the bathroom to get washed up and attend to business when Johnny started stiring. When Ryan was done in the bathroom, Johnny was just coming fully awake.  
  
"I think you should get out of bed and properly dressed before Kate wakes up. Otherwise I'll have alot of explaining to do." Johnny stretched and winced. "Right." Ryan went over to the bed to assist the older man.  
  
"I'm too old for this," Johnny said as he closed the bathroom door. Ryan laughed. Kate began to stir. Ryan sat down on the edge of the bed. "Hey Kate, wake up." He nudged her gently. She opened her eyes slowly. "Am I dead?" "No." "Seriously wounded?" "No. You're not even scratched." Kate bolted straight up. "Whoa! Take it easy!" Kate's eyes widened. "I was dead. The monster crushed me. I was as good as buried. What happened? Why am I not dead?" Kate looked at Ryan's bruised head. "What happened to you?" "I got tossed into a wall, remember? You should see my back. It's a wonderful purple and green collage."  
  
A knock sounded at the door. Ryan answered it. "I am Doctor Henrik. I examined the man with the broken ribs." "Johnny." The doctor smiled. "Yes, that is him. He is here?" Ryan nodded. "Hey Johnny, your doctor is here. I think he wants to check up on you." Johnny came out of the bathroom as he was buttoning his shirt. Dried blood could be seen on the bandages closest to his stomach. "Hello again." The doctor nodded his greetings and indicated that Johnny should stop buttoning his shirt.  
  
"Generally when I have told a patient to stay in bed, they do so. But you, sir, obviously have not." Johnny smiled sheepishly. "It was an emergency." The doctor was not impressed. "I would say so. Most patients don't recklessly run around in such a state. You have several deep cuts near your abdomen. You have obviously torn out your stitches. It would do well to fix them." Ryan smiled at Johnny and grabbed Kate's hand. "We'll go find Jack. Come on." Ryan laughed as he heard Johnny being upbraided for his little 'adventure' as the doctor called it. And the nerve of him to be getting on a plane risking further damage, and my God what did you do to these stitches?  
  
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Micki noted that Ryan yawned all through breakfast. She wondered if he'd gotten any sleep at all. She's slept and dreamt about all the times Ryan had saved her life and added this adventure to the list. God, it was so weird seeing him again. He looked exactly the same as he's looked before that last trip to France... She wondered if he even knew about any of that. She'd have to get him alone later and ask him just what he did know.  
  
"We better get going," she said standing up. Jack nodded and wiped his chin with a linen napkin as he stood. "You think that doctor is done with Johnny?" Jack left to rescue Johnny and the others went to the rental car. Micki threw her suitcase into the car's trunk. "I'm so glad to be getting out of this place." Kate smiled weakly. "Me too. I almost died here." Micki placed an arm around Kate's thin shoulders. "So did we all. You just came the closest." Kate smiled up at her. "Was that supposed to be comforting?" Micki laughed. "I guess I'm just used to it, nearly getting killed that is."  
  
Jack came out supporting Johnny. Micki ran to help gratefully. She'd been exposed to Ryan's intense looks all morning and they were making her nervous. She wondered what he was thinking.  
  
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Ryan caught himself staring at Micki again and quickly looked somewhere else. Since his aborted chance at sleep last night. He'd kept thinking that she was supposed to be dead. He couldn't understand it. "Maybe I'm just tired," he mumbled as he climbed into the car.  
  
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"Did you say something," Kate asked. "No." Funny, she thought. She was sure she'd heard him say something. She got into the car. She hoped Ryan would get some sleep on the plane. He looked terrible. She'd thought everything would be okay now and that things could go back to normal now that Micki was safe. But it wasn't. She felt different too. Maybe because she'd been so close to death?  
  
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They boarded the plane and Ryan went out like a light. Kate watched him sleep. She wondered if he was still having nightmares. He looked so peaceful. She turned her attention back to the conversation.  
  
"You know, Ryan raised a very good question last night. Those headsets we wear, why didn't you use your yesterday instead of charging in?" Jack laughed self consciously al of a sudden. "Well it seems that we've been doing this for such a long time and a lot of things have become instinctive, while others are too new to have sunken in yet. I do believe I forgot I was wearing the damn things!" Johnny and Micki laughed at their friends lapse. "Well they say the memory's the first thing that goes..." Jack gave him a nasty look. "I'm not THAT old." Johnny was still laughing. "Not yet anyway." Micki elbowed him. She apologized when he winced. "Sorry Johnny. I guess I forgot," she said innocently. Now it was Jack's turn to laugh.  
  
They had a wonderful camaraderie between them. They must have been together a long time. She wondered, are all their days as hectic as the past week has been? Just then, Ryan start to shift restlessly in his sleep. Another nightmare. She hoped not. As he continued to shift, she becomes convinced it was another nightmare. She leaned over to wake him up.  
  
Micki put her hand over hers. "He looks exhausted. I think you should let him sleep." She nodded. "I'm just afraid he's having another nightmare." "Nightmare?" Jack echoed. Now she had everyone's attention. "Yeah, he has them." Jack was watching Ryan. "When did they start?" "After his mom died. He was staying with us, my parents and me took him in. We didn't want to leave him alone. He woke up three nights in a row before I asked him about it." "What did he say?"  
  
"Now wait a minute. I'm tired of answering questions. I want you to answer my questions for a while." They looked at each other. "Jack, she's right. We've been asking and asking while we haven't answered a single question they asked." Johnny nodded, "This has got to be confusing for them, especially for Kate." He smiled at her. "Well, what do you want to know?"  
  
"That's a loaded question. What's the story? I mean, what do you people really do. Cause you sure as hell aren't you average everyday antique dealers, are you?" Johnny smiled. "I don't think what we do for a living could be considered anywhere near normal." Micki looked at Jack. Jack cleared his throat. "We only sell antiques to keep ourselves fed." Johnny and Micki snorted. Jack looked at them, then turned back to Kate. "We collect cursed objects." Kate stared at them uncomprehending.  
  
"Out uncle, Ryan's and mine, made a pact with the devil to sell cursed antiques." Jack continued, "But he broke the pact and the devil sent him straight to hell." Johnny nodded at Ryan, "The store was left in probation and Micki and Ryan got it by default." Micki sighed, "I convinced Ryan to sell everything off because I had no intention of running an antique store." "I arrived shortly after, too late to stop the sale of the objects. When I explained about the objects, Micki, Ryan and I joined forces to get the objects back. When Ryan was effectively out of the picture, Johnny took over for him. He had been working with us for awhile at the time of Ryan's return to childhood and was a perfect replacement." "Yeah, can you imagine the ad in the paper. 'Wanted; a person stupid enough to risk one's life everyday, those with a Don Quixote complex are welcome'." Johnny looked at her, "If you put it that way, I'm out of here." Micki smacked him on the shoulder. She sure did that alot.  
  
"Let me get this straight, you recover cursed objects and you do what with them?" Micki spoke up, "We place them in the vault deep below the shop where no one can be hurt by them. it seems strange everytime I tell this story, but to us the occult had really become rather commonplace." "You think things like what we went through back there to be commonplace, an everyday thing?" Kate was incredulous. Johnny stopped smiling. "You get used to being in danger all the time. You have to, because... think about it. Who else is going to do it?"  
  
The conversation ended abruptly as they hit some turbulence. When they were ready to talk again, Jack steered the conversation back to Ryan's' nightmares. "Are the dreams really bad?" "He cast a concerned look in Ryan's direction. "I would say so. He almost always wakes up screaming. It's really creepy, like one of those Freddy Krueger movies. And if he doesn't wake up screaming he usually just wakes with a start. One minute he's sleeping peacefully, the next he's shot straight up. We were in the car and he nearly scared the livin' daylights out of me."  
  
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Jack didn't like the way this sounded. Ryan may just be remembering past events. But if he was, why would the recollections be so violent? "Did he ever tell you what he dreamt about?" A little more information was necessary if he was going to figure anything out.  
  
The girl looked unnerved. She spoke hesitantly, "Only once." They all watched her for her response. "He said that he saw dead people. And the said something I thought was strange then, but it kinda makes sense now." Jack leaned forward, "What did he say?" "I asked him if he knew them and he said, 'No, but I knew them before'." Hmm... "Did you ask him what he ment by that?" She sighed, "Yeah, and he said he didn't know." She looked at Ryan, "I think I should wake him up." "No, it's okay. It think I know what's going on." "Do you think he's remembering things in these nightmares?" Micki asked. "But if he is, why does he wake up screaming? From what I remember he had a pretty good life with you and Micki when I showed up." Jack didn't know why.  
  
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... Ryan turned around and saw them, hundreds of them. They stared at him. Some smiled horribly at him, baring rows and rows of teeth. They began to scream and with each second the sound grew louder. Images shifted and changed around him, Micki, her eyes widened in shock. Kate, her body crushed into the stone floor, a room splattered in blood, the cold floor of a maintenance room, the metallic taste of blood in his mouth, and the screaming, always the screaming. Then the laughter began again. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...........  
  
Ryan shot forward, nearly falling out of his chair. He looked around, a little disoriented. As his eyes focused he noticed three sets of eyes in him. "What? Do I drool in my sleep or something?" He ran a hand through his hair and smoothed down the front of his shirt.  
  
They were still staring at him. Jack asked, "What did you dream about?" Ryan eyed him suspiciously. "Why?" "We think you might be remembering things in your sleep," Micki said. Ryan tried to hold onto the images of the dream, "I dreamt I was on a cold hard floor. I couldn't move, but I could taste blood in my mouth. In the distance people were screaming at me. So what do you think?" They all seemed to be concentrating. Micki brightened. "The compact!" she yelled. "Do you remember Jack, the first time we went after the compact ? That girl, I don't even remember her name anymore. She tried to use it on you, Ryan,..." Ryan remembered something, "And I fell off the railing trying to avoid the light from the compact." Wow, where did that come from? Ryan looked at his new/old friends and Kate, they were all smiling. So why did they remind him of something else?  
  
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Well now that they knew that cause of Ryan's dreams. Jack felt a lot better. As they left the plane everyone was talking at once about the shop and what went on there. Micki was building on Ryan's one memory, and continually asked him, "Do you remember that?" to which he would immediately replay, "No, are you sure that was me?" Jack was glad that everyone was okay and that both Kate and Ryan were reacting to the strange things around them so calmly. He'd worried about them, especially Kate, who didn't know anything about what they did. But she seemed to be adjusting well. He wondered if she would stay on. Ryan probably would at least until the rest of his memories came back. It would be nice to have fresh face about the shop.   
  
They entered the shop one after another and maneuvered around the clutter. When they were all in, Jack felt it was time. He took the silver pendant from his pocket and handed it to Ryan. "Would you like to do the honors and put this in the vault?" Ryan took it, he looked a little dazed. Micki came to his rescue, "I'll show you where it is." They turned to leave, but Ryan turned back.  
  
"Hey Jack, I don't get it. This Wolfe guy, he got the pendant so he could live long enough to raise his daughter, right?" Jack nodded a half smile on his face. "Then why did he keep using it after he killed her?" Jack held his glasses in one hand, "Well Ryan, Victor Wolfe had a serious problem. He had become a monster to stay alive long enough to raise his daughter, then that same monster he'd become killed his daughter. I think Victor Wolfe was terrified of dying and finding that his wonderful daughter no longer loved him. His fear of death is what motivated him. It's sad, he was probably a very devoted father before your Uncle Lewis came along."  
  
"Now you've done it!" Micki exclaimed, "You let him explain it you, now he'll be smug for days." Ryan sputtered as he was dragged out of the room. Kate and Johnny exchanged amused glances. Jack took a deep breath. "Welcome back Ryan." Jack said more to himself then anyone else. Oh yes, it would be nice to have fresh faces around, especially if they actually listened to him for once.   
  
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